Veronica
by XWaltzforVenusX
Summary: RyanTaylor. Mid season 3 and very AU. Veronica Townsend finds something in her daughter's closet...
1. Part 1

_This little... story just came to me one day. It's a one-shot (surprise, surprise), and it takes place in season 3. Obviously, it's a little AU._

_Enjoy reading, and please review!_

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Veronica Townsend sipped her vodka and downed a few more pills. She had a headache. She'd just gotten a call that her daughter had shown up for the first half of the school day, but had mysteriously disappeared after lunch.

Stupid girl. Didn't she know Veronica had better things to do than talk to the dean about her attendance? She downed another shot of vodka. That was better. She stood up, leaving the glass on the table for later, and went to find her daughter.

"Taylor! Where are you?" Her voice was harsh - she was annoyed that she actually had to be a parent. She knocked, or, more truthfully, pounded on her daughter's door. There was a thump from the other side and a hurried whisper. What the hell was that girl doing?

Veronica shoved the door open, not surprised her daughter was careless enough to leave it unlocked. She found Taylor on her bed, looking a little red and breathless, but alone.

"The dean called, you skipped the second half of school. What the hell in your life could have been more important?" She spit out the words, mocking her daughter's lack of a social life.

"I felt sick, mom, and the nurse wouldn't let me go home," Taylor gave a little cough, trying to play sick. Veronica scowled.

"I don't buy that for one second. I swear, Taylor, if you get kicked out, I am not shelling out the money for you to get back in." She turned around to leave, but froze when a rustle came from the closet. Turning around, she noticed her daughter had frozen as well, eyes wide. Without saying a word, and ignoring her daughters' protests, she stormed to the closet and tugged the door open. She gasped when a half naked boy fell out.

"Ow," he muttered, getting off the floor, and Veronica was shocked to see it was the boy from – even her mind was horrified to think the word – _Chino_.

"Taylor!" she screeched, spinning to her daughter, whose eyes were so wide she thought they would pop out.

"Mom, I can explain," Taylor choked out.

"Explain that you're screwing around with this… this _boy_ in my house when you're supposed to be at school?"

"Ryan Atwood," he extended his hand to her, and to be honest, it shocked her a little. In a daze, she shook the hand. That was when she really took him in. The boy was clad only in jeans, which were hanging low on his hips because the button was undone. She dragged her eyes from his hips up his very well toned chest. She barely stopped herself from licking her lips.

"Right. Well," she was momentarily stunned, but recovered well. "Taylor, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I still maintain that I was sick. Ryan just came over to make me feel better." She immediately realized how that sounded when Ryan let out a laugh.

Veronica shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She needed another drink. "Taylor, this is unacceptable. Skipping school, and hiding _him_ in your closet? I swear you make me really regret ever getting pregnant. I go and ruin my body so you can throw your life away with him? This is not how I raised you," her voice was a hiss, and she reveled in the hurt look on her daughter's face. Taylor was such a failure. Taylor could never be as good as her, as successful or good looking. She had to realize that before she could be a well adjusted person. If she went through life thinking she was better than she was, she would only be disappointed.

Taylor looked on the verge of tears, and Veronica sensed the boy from _Chino_ stiffen. Oh God, he was going to shoot her, or whatever they did where poor people lived. She rolled her eyes at her daughter's tears and the boy's reaction. He must be an idiot to be defensive of her daughter.

She turned back to look appraisingly to the boy. Why had Kirsten Cohen taken him in? Veronica had no trouble seeing Sandy doing this, but Kirsten should have better social graces. Why endanger all of their children by bringing a criminal into the community? It was so rude.

On the other hand, he was very nice to look at.

She wondered if he would make a good plaything. He certainly had the body for it, and the bad-boy thing was a nice change from the dull men around Newport. And he was young, which meant he was at a higher sexual peak than the men her own age...

"Mother!" Her daughter's horrified voice woke her out of her reverie. Taylor was looking at her, wide-eyed, and Veronica assumed it was because of the way she had been examining the boy from _Chino_. Taylor quickly rose from the bed, grabbed a t-shirt off the floor that was _obviously_ out of place, and handed it to the boy. He put it on, and the two women were momentarily caught up in watching his abdomen flex as he lifted his arms over his head. Veronica bit her lip a little, and her daughter saw that. Taylor stepped between her mother and the boy from _Chino_, and buttoned up his jeans, glaring at Veronica over her shoulder.

She was pleased that Taylor was this worried. The boy would have good taste to choose her over Taylor, the older woman thought.

"Ryan, why don't you go? I'll see you in school tomorrow," Taylor kissed his cheek, and pushed him lightly towards the door. He nodded.

"You know," Veronica called after him, "I have some furniture to move, and you look _very_ handy. You must come back some time to lend a hand."

"We don't have any furniture to move," Taylor groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. She had gotten the habit from her mother. "Just go, Ryan. I'm sorry." The boy looked slightly puzzled, but nodded. Veronica gave him a small wave as he left, smiling.

"Mom!" Taylor whispered venomously as the boy disappeared. "That was so embarrassing!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Veronica replied, tilting her head up.

"Well how about the obvious flirting with the guy who's twenty years younger than you!" Taylor paced her room, still pinching her nose. Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Stop being such a brat. Now, tomorrow, you're going to go to the dean's office and explain your absence. I don't care what you say, just try not to embarrass me." She turned and left, hoping a little bit that she could catch a glimpse of the boy again.

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	2. Part 2

_Ok, how does this keep happening? I write one-shots, and they end up as multi-__parters. __Seriously._

_Anyway, this is for __ORy__, who keeps persisting with a 'Veronica' sequel. I believe there was also a request in there for a Ryan/Veronica showdown? __Hm..._

_Enjoy!_

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Veronica walked into her house, sighing wearily. She threw her purse onto the foyer table, making her way towards the kitchen. She needed a drink, and her heart was set on the bottle of vodka sitting in the fridge. She froze when she got to the kitchen.

A shirtless boy stood on the other side of kitchen island, facing away from her. He was leaning backwards, his arms on the counter holding him up, and he was breathing heavily.

"What the hell?" she snapped, annoyed. The boy's head turned to look at her – but she noted that the rest of his body stayed still.

"Shit," he breathed looking down at the floor in front of him – at what, Veronica couldn't tell because his lower half was hidden by the island. Wait… wasn't that the boy she had found in Taylor's closet? The boy from _Chino_? There was a movement from behind the island, and the boy bent forward slightly, and it looked like he was… zipping up his pants? Suddenly, her daughter popped up.

"Mother…" she stammered, hand wiping absently at her lips. _Oh God_.

"Jesus, Taylor," she huffed, storming over to the fridge, yanking it open, and closing her fist around the cold bottle of alcohol. The boy moved away, keeping the island between him and her, still slightly bent over. Taylor stayed where she was.

"I… um, I thought you were going to be gone all night…"

"And that gives you leave to act like a whore?" she shot back, grabbing a cup and pouring the clear liquid into it. She downed the thing in one go, looking her daughter up and down. "Although, maybe _he's_ the whore, since I can't see _anyone_ wanting _you_ unless you paid them." She quirked an eyebrow triumphantly as her daughter sought a reply. She turned her gaze to the boy.

He was leaning forward against the counter, eyes shut tight and breath coming in heavy pants. He looked uncomfortable. She rolled her eyes, opening the freezer door and taking out an ice pack, which she slid across the counter. "You might need this," she smirked when he looked at her in horror. He was really a very good looking boy, especially with his shirt off…

"Taylor," he ground out, looking weakly at her daughter. "Maybe we should go…" he looked hopelessly desperate, and Taylor nodded.

"You're not going out. It's a school night," she spoke smoothly, grinning as she poured herself another drink. Her daughter looked at her angrily, and the boy shut his eyes again. "But Ryan – it _is_ Ryan, right? – please, feel free to stay for dinner." She felt triumphantly giddy at the horror on both their faces. "I was thinking Korean."

The boy's head snapped up, "we'll go get it," he grunted hurriedly, snatching his shirt off the counter – she hadn't even noticed it there. He also grabbed his jacket, which he held in front of him – _quite _conveniently. Before she could protest, the boy had grabbed her daughters hand and dragged her out of the house.

Cold anger flowed through her veins at being thwarted. But, she thought, though she may have lost this little battle, she would _not_ lose the war. So she picked up the phone, calling in their order.

After taking another drink, she _still_ hadn't heard any car start up, so she went to look out the front window. His car was parked behind her daughter's, and she could see him in the driver's seat, head thrown back against the headrest. She couldn't see her daughter. _Ugh, what a whore_.

The boy was understandably more relaxed when they got back – what with her daughter giving him a happy in the car and all. They ate in silence, the two teenagers still very uncomfortable, her relaxed and calculating. She decided it was time to strike.

"So, _Ryan_," she purred his name, holding her drink to her lips. His head snapped up. "How much _is_ my daughter paying you?" She flicked her gaze to the side to see her daughters face flush red, eyes down. She twitched, startled, when the boy slammed his utensils down. She was a little taken aback by the anger in his face.

"Look," he snarled, staring her down, "I've dealt with a lot of shitty parents in my life, but _you_," he laughed in contempt, "you really take the prize."

"Ryan…" Taylor's voice was a quiet protest, and she gazed at him pleadingly.

"No, Taylor," he told her daughter without breaking eye contact with her, "you're always saying how you wish you could tell her how you feel, so let's do it now."

Veronica folded her arms, looking over at her daughter. "And how _do_ you feel?" she mocked. She waited as Taylor gathered her courage.

"Well," the girl started off slowly, voice low and trembling. What a baby. "It's just… you're always so mean to me…" she broke off, gaze dropping to her plate, picking at her nails.

"Taylor." The boy's voice was surprisingly commanding, and she looked at him appraisingly. _He_ didn't seem to be scared of her. She looked back at her daughter, and she was shocked when the girl's head rose, shoulders straightening.

"You always tell me how fat I am, and how I'm ugly and unpopular," the girl's voice got stronger with each word. "But I'm not. And I'm not stupid either. I always get good grades, and I'm the head of the theater department and the debate team. I have a lot of responsibility at school, and… and people like me." Veronica snorted. "It's true," the girl continued, getting angry now. "I have friends. I'm a good person. I've tried all my life to make you happy, but nothing's ever good enough. I don't understand why you always have to be such a… a bitch!" The girl's eyes went wide, and her hands flew to her mouth. "Oh my God," she whispered, horrified.

"Excuse me?" her voice was icy cold, venom dripping from each syllable. Who the hell did her daughter think she was?

"You heard her," the boy was back in the ring, eyes flashing a warning. He pushed his plate away from him. "Come on, Taylor," he stood up, "let's go."

"I already told you, she's not going…"

"Save it," the boy snapped, grabbing her stunned daughter's arm, and hauling her out into the foyer. Veronica stood up and stormed after them. "…get your coat," the boy was saying softly, and Taylor nodded, climbing the stairs to her room.

"I could have you arrested for kidnapping," she glared at the boy who was defying her. He whirled on her, controlled rage radiating from every inch of him. Despite her experience with pissed off people, she was actually a little afraid.

"I want you to leave her alone," he ordered, and she started to laugh at his audacity. He continued talking, cutting her off. "She's your _daughter_, for fuck's sake. So if you can't at least act like a decent human being around her, than just _leave her alone_."

"How dare-"

"No, I've had it with bad parents. My father was an alcoholic convict who used to hit me when things didn't go his way, and my mother was an alcoholic gambler who let her boyfriends use me as a punching bag. But you… you don't even _pretend_ to be sorry when you beat the life out of her."

Taylor came down the steps with a coat and an overnight bag. The boy pulled on a leather jacket, then wrapped his arm protectively around her daughter, taking the bag out of her hand. She made no move to stop them as they headed out the door.

"Oh," the boy paused, looking over his shoulder at her, "you shouldn't find leaving her alone too difficult. She won't be coming around here that often anymore."

Veronica stood in the foyer even after the door slammed behind the two teenagers.

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	3. Part 3

_Ok, this time I SWEAR this is the last chapter… I'm a little stuck with all my other stories, and this was what came out of all my pent-up creative energy (or, in other terms, my obsessive need to write about the O.C.)..._

_Thanks to __ORy__, who gave me the idea for the plot in this one! I hope you all enjoy!_

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Why did she have to be here? It's not like the girl even lived with her anymore, she had no control over her.

"Mrs. Cohen, Miss Townsend, I'd like to thank you both for coming down."

"Dr. Kim," Kirsten leaned forward in her chair, looking worried, looking like she actually _cared_, "is everything ok? You didn't tell me much over the phone…" she trailed off, looking at Veronica for confirmation. Veronica shrugged; she had no idea what this was about either. But considering the only reason she'd be called down during a school day was because of her daughter, so it must be bad. That girl was so stupid sometimes; she wondered what she did now.

Dr. Kim sighed, looking slightly embarrassed and folding her hands on the desk. "I'm not sure how to go about saying this, but your daughter," she nodded at Veronica, "and your son - Ryan -" she clarified for Kirsten, "were caught…"

_Oh God_.

"…caught…?" Kirsten asked, horror taking over her features. Dr. Kim flushed, but squared her shoulders resolutely.

"Having… _inappropriate relations_ in an empty classroom…" the dean trailed off, and Veronica shut her eyes in embarrassment as Kirsten Cohen gasped.

Good God, what was wrong with her daughter? First skipping school to fool around with the boy, and now she couldn't even find the decency to do it off school property?

"… so sorry," Kirsten was saying to the dean, eyes wide and face red. "Usually he's better behaved than this…"

Veronica snorted. Obviously the woman hadn't had the experiences _she_ had with those two.

"Now, luckily it was one of our faculty members that caught them, and not a student, but this cannot repeat itself. There will also have to be retributions for their actions…"

"Of course," Kirsten agreed, sitting up straight and placing her fingertips on her temple. "And I _promise_ this will never happen again. I'll talk to him immediately." The dean nodded, then looked to Veronica for her plan.

What _was_ her plan? The girl had practically moved out of her house, spending every night at the boy's house. Well, her daughter _said_ she was living at Summer Roberts', but that was highly unlikely. Wasn't the Roberts girl supposed to be best friends with Marissa Cooper? Jesus, her daughter was such a failure, lying about shacking up with the ex-con. Glancing over her shoulder out the glass wall of the office, she watched her daughter bite her nails, sitting next to the boy who looked just a little too relaxed for the situation.

This was so embarrassing. Her daughter was going to ruin everything she worked for – her status, her reputation, _everything_. She had to do something before everyone found out about her daughter's inability to keep her legs closed.

She turned to face Dr. Kim again, the plan forming in her mind. "I apologize as well for this," she began calmly, folding her hands in her lap, "and believe me when I say that Taylor will not be causing anymore problems for you or your school." She stood up, smoothing down her business suit, ignoring the questioning look she got from Kirsten Cohen. Apparently the woman wasn't as stupid as she first assumed.

"Well, Miss Townsend," Dr. Kim sounded worried as well, "your daughter is a valued member of the student body. She's never done anything before this, and I think we can let this one slide off the record. Both their records," she nodded to Kirsten, who looked relieved.

"Yes, that's all well and good," Veronica gathered her bag, "but its one thing keeping this 'off the record', it's another keeping it out of the rumor mill. You'll have her withdrawal form by the end of the week, and we'll need her transcripts sent out." She turned and walked outside. "Taylor, we're leaving." The girl was about to protest – probably something about barely even living with her anymore, but she was cut off.

"Veronica," the two women followed her out of the dean's office, but it was Kirsten that spoke, "is that necessary? No one knows except the three of us, the kids, and the one faculty member…"

"Kirsten what's going on?" the boy asked, rising from his chair and looking worriedly down at Taylor.

"Taylor, let's go." The girl stood up, looking back and forth between her, Kirsten, Ryan and Dr. Kim.

"Miss Townsend…" Dr. Kim started, "there really is no need…"

"For you to worry," Veronica turned and smiled icily at the dean. "I'll pay full tuition for the year, so really, you have no need to try and stop this."

"Stop what? Mom…" her daughter's voice wavered – _Jesus, how weak_ – and she clutched her bag nervously.

"I'm sending you to boarding school," she snapped, anger rising. How _dare_ her daughter act like the victim here? The boy from _Chino_ stiffened, fists clenching at his side, face filling with rage.

"What?" This time Taylor's voice broke, and her eyes filled with tears.

"Stop being such a baby and get your things. We'll be back after school has let out to clean out your locker. Dr. Kim, I'll be needing those transcripts as soon as possible." She turned her back on the group, heels clacking loudly in the deserted hallway. "Taylor," she commanded, not even looking over her shoulder at the girl.

"Veronica," it was Kirsten who ran after her, grabbing her arm gently and stopping her. "Please, don't do this to your daughter. It's her senior year, if you pull her out…"

"If I pull her out, she won't have another chance to embarrass me." A look over her shoulder showed her daughter crying into the boy's shoulder. The boy looked like he was going to kill something, and Dr. Kim was placing a hand on the girl's shoulder soothingly, saying something.

"Please, Veronica," Kirsten lowered her voice, "she made a mistake…"

"She's been making a lot of them," she interrupted coldly, settling her purse firmly on her shoulder. "In fact, ever since she '_met'_ your son, she's been making mistakes left and right. Has Dr. Kim told you about the skipping? The leaving school early? Your 'son' has caused nothing but trouble since coming to this town, and now he's dragged my daughter down as well. So before she really screws up her life – and mine -, I'm taking her out."

"Excuse me?" Kirsten's eyes hardened, and for a moment Veronica was reminded of Caleb Nichol.

"Mom, please…" Taylor began, but she was interrupted by a voice.

"Mom, is everything ok?" Veronica looked up to see Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts coming towards them, looking worried. Great, more witnesses to her daughter's embarrassment. "Dad called and said you came down to the school, something about Ryan…"

"Taylor, what's wrong?" The Roberts girl rushed forward, taking her daughter from the boy's arms and hugging her.

"Yes, Veronica," Kirsten's voice dripped cold anger, "why don't you tell Summer _Roberts_ that you're taking away her new friend. I'm sure that her father – you remember her father, right? Prominent plastic surgeon? – I'm sure he would be _very_ unhappy that his beloved daughter is upset."

"What do you mean 'taking away'?" Summer looked at Veronica, then at Kirsten, then back at her sobbing daughter.

"She wants to send Taylor to boarding school," the boy finally spoke up, unveiled hate making his voice ring sharply through the hall. The two new arrivals looked confused.

"You can't do that," the brunette girl protested, eyes going dark with rage. The Cohen boy stepped forward, putting a hand on her arm soothingly – apparently he was afraid of his girlfriend. _What a loser_.

"I can, and I am. Taylor, we're going, _now_." She turned to Kirsten, "Dr. Roberts isn't the only plastic surgeon in town – this _is_ Newport, after all – so you're little threat isn't going to work."

The blonde woman leaned forward, voice lowering to a hiss, "then how about this one: if you do _anything_ to make either of my sons unhappy – or Summer, for that matter – then I will personally see to it that your reputation in this town gets dragged through the dirt so badly, you'll have to move to the other side of the country to get away from it."

"Go mom," the Cohen boy whispered reverently from the sidelines after a few seconds of stunned silence. "Are you channeling grandpa?"

Veronica looked at her daughter – who was held protectively between the boy from _Chino_ and Summer Roberts – then back at Kirsten Cohen. The woman may not be head of the Newport Group anymore, but she was still _very_ powerful. Shit. How was she supposed to get out of this one with her dignity still intact? She couldn't see any way, so she'd just have to make the best of it.

"Fine," she folded her arms. "But no one hears about this, understand me?" Kirsten nodded, and Veronica could see a smug smile trying to force the corners of her mouth up. What a manipulative bitch.

"It's like it never happened." She had forgotten Dr. Kim was still here, and the woman moved forward, shooting grateful looks at Kirsten. She rolled her eyes. Fine, if they wanted her daughter around, they could have her. It seemed the Roberts girl could read minds.

"You can stay with me as long as you want," she whispered, and her daughter broke into sobs. God, she was such a baby. _Whatever_.

"I have to meet with a client. I'll send the rest of your things to the Roberts'," she directed the last part at her daughter, who looked up in surprise. With that, she turned and began walking down the hall, relieved that she wouldn't have to pretend to act all motherly anymore. As she got to the end of the hall, she heard the Cohen boy speak up.

"So _what_ 'never happened'?"

"Seth, go back to class."

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Review!

_p.s. – take 'inappropriate relations' however you want. In fact, I'd LOVE to hear what you guys think they were doing…_


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